There is no denying that Halloween is one of the most beloved as well as divisive horror movie franchises in existence. Since John Carpenter’s original slasher in 1978, following the murderous antics of Michael Myers, there have been multiple sequels, timelines, and reboots. Most of the follow-up films to the original thriller get a bad rap. However, there is one particular Halloween movie that Carpenter himself wished gained more recognition: Halloween 3.
For those who may not be Halloween timeline experts, Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the only film in the franchise where Michael Myers isn’t present. Instead of following the boogeyman of Haddonfield, the film involves a story about melting faces and witchcraft. When it released in 1982, the film had a disappointing box office and is the second lowest-grossing film in the entire franchise, beaten only by Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.
Despite not being Halloween 3’s director, Carpenter told Vulture that he believes it didn’t get a fair shot thanks to its lack of Michael Myers screentime. The filmmaker also went on to agree with the interviewer’s statement when they shared how they don’t think “Halloween III gets the love it deserves.”
“That’s correct. It didn’t, but I wish it had because we could start telling other stories,” Carpenter said. “People wanted to see Michael Myers once again. So there you go.”
Carpenter, who most recently teamed up with David Gordon Green to compose the music for Halloween Ends, then shared how his views on sequels have changed since filming the OG ‘70s movie.
“The Halloween movie I love the most is the one I made back in 1978, the one I directed. Others are other people’s visions,” he said. “That’s the way it goes. That’s what happens when you give up. I didn’t want to direct sequels. I didn’t think there was a story left. Boy, was I wrong, huh?”
Halloween Ends is out in cinemas now; for more scares, here is our list of the best vampire movies of all time.